Renowned Nigerian human rights lawyer and lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has strongly criticized the Federal Government for cancelling the 65th Independence Day Parade, possibly over insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday titled “Nigeria Has Happened to Sommie Maduagwu, May Her Gentle Soul Find Everlasting Rest in the Bosom of Our Lord Jesus, Amen”, Ejiofor expressed deep sorrow over the suspension of the national celebration, describing it as both tragic and emblematic of a failed state.
“Nigerians woke up to the shocking news of the cancellation of the 65th Independence Day Parade, a longstanding national tradition,” “If the reason for this cancellation is indeed insecurity in Abuja, it lays bare a frightening truth: the government cannot even safeguard its own ceremonies in its own seat of power.”he stated.
According to him “If this is not a confession of institutional weakness, distrust within the security architecture, and a collapse of public confidence, then what is? How much longer shall official events and innocent lives be sacrificed on the altar of fear and failure?”
Ejiofor referenced the recent murder of Sommie Maduagwu, a journalist with Arise News, who was brutally killed by suspected criminals in her home in Abuja.
He described the incident as a devastating indictment of the country’s security apparatus.
“This was not an act of fate or a random tragedy,” “Sommie’s death is the direct consequence of the State’s failure to perform its most sacred constitutional duty: the protection of lives and property.”he said.
Highlighting the disturbing irony, Ejiofor noted that despite Abuja being the seat of power, housing the Presidential Villa, the National Assembly, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, the Police, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and other critical security institutions citizens remain vulnerable even in their own homes.
“Within this supposed fortress of national security, Sommie was murdered in cold blood. If the capital city is no longer safe, where in Nigeria can we claim is?” he queried.
Ejiofor called for a thorough investigation into the killing and demanded accountability from the federal government and security agencies, stressing that no Nigerian should live or die in fear.
The statement reads:
Yesterday, 29th September 2025, the bright flame of a young, exceptionally promising lawyer, Sommie Maduagwu, was cruelly extinguished by men of the underworld. This was not an act of fate, nor the ordinary course of life. No! Sommie’s tragic death was the direct consequence of the State’s failure to uphold its most sacred duty: the protection of lives and property.
As enshrined in our Constitution, security remains a cardinal obligation of government. Yet, this noble duty has been betrayed. Sommie’s life was cut short, not in a remote, lawless outpost, but in Katampe, Abuja; the very heart of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory. This is the seat of power, home to the Presidential Villa, the National Assembly, the DSS, the Army, the Police, the NIA, and every other apparatus of State security. And yet, within this supposed fortress of power, Sommie was murdered in her own home.
This is not just tragic; it is profoundly unsettling. Only days ago, I raised the alarm about the worsening collapse of security in Abuja, warning that criminals and bandits now operate emboldened and unchecked, even within the capital. Many dismissed those warnings as mere musings. Today, the grim reality has caught up with us, embodied in the heartbreaking fate of Sommie Maduagwu
To compound this tragedy, Nigerians also woke up to the shocking news of the cancellation of the 65th Independence Day Parade, a longstanding national tradition. If the reason for this cancellation is indeed insecurity in Abuja, it lays bare a frightening truth: the government cannot even safeguard its own ceremonies in its own seat of power. If this is not a confession of institutional weakness, distrust within the security architecture, and a collapse of public confidence, then what is? How much longer shall official events, and innocent lives, be sacrificed on the altar of fear and failure?
The murder of Sommie must not be reduced to another passing headline. It must not vanish into the abyss of inconclusive investigations. This is a watershed moment! One that must compel sober reckoning, a total overhaul of our security architecture, accountability from those entrusted with our safety, and justice that is neither delayed nor denied.
On behalf of all men and women of conscience, I extend my deepest condolences to Sommie’s grieving family and to her professional family at Arise News, where she served not only as a brilliant lawyer but also as a gifted broadcaster and producer. Nigeria has truly lost one of its finest rising stars .
I call on the Federal Government to deploy every mechanism of the State to ensure that those behind this heinous crime are swiftly apprehended and brought to justice. Anything less would be a betrayal of Sommie’s memory and a further indictment of the system that failed her.
May the Lord, in His infinite mercy, accept the soul of Sommie and grant her eternal rest in His bosom. May He comfort her loved ones, and may He grant Nigeria the courage to confront its demons.
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